S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    872
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  BAILEY,  FERNANDEZ, PARKER, SANDERS, WEBB -- read
   twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to  the
   Committee on Finance
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  executive law, in relation to creating regional
   minority and women-owned business enterprise advocate

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 310 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 24 to read as follows:
   24.  "REGIONAL ADVOCATE" SHALL MEAN THE PERSON APPOINTED BY THE STATE-
 WIDE ADVOCATE TO SERVE IN THE CAPACITY OF MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSI-
 NESS ENTERPRISE REGIONAL ADVOCATE.
   §  2.  Subdivision 2 of section 311-a of the executive law, as amended
 by chapter 96 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   2. The advocate shall act as a liaison for  minority  and  women-owned
 business  enterprises  (MWBEs)  to  assist  them in obtaining technical,
 managerial, financial and other business assistance for certified  busi-
 nesses  and  applicants.  The  advocate  shall  receive  and investigate
 complaints brought by or on behalf  of  MWBEs  concerning  certification
 delays  and  instances of violations of the requirements of this article
 by contractors and by state agencies. The statewide advocate may  assist
 certified businesses and applicants in the certification process, DIRECT
 REGIONAL LOCAL ADVOCATES IN DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND
 CREATE  AWARENESS  OF COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS. Other functions of the
 statewide advocate shall be directed by the commissioner.  The  advocate
 may  request  and  the  director  may appoint staff and employees of the
 division of minority and  women  business  development  to  support  the
 administration of the office of the statewide advocate.
   §  3.  The  executive  law is amended by adding a new section 311-b to
 read as follows:

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD02117-01-5
 S. 872                              2
 
   § 311-B. MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE  REGIONAL  ADVO-
 CATES. 1.  REGIONAL ADVOCATE. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN EACH OF
 THE  REGIONAL  OFFICES  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO  ARTICLE ELEVEN OF THE
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAW AN OFFICE OF THE MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSI-
 NESS ENTERPRISE REGIONAL ADVOCATE.
   2. POWERS AND DUTIES. THE REGIONAL ADVOCATES SHALL:
   (A)  PROVIDE  TECHNICAL,  MANAGERIAL,  FINANCIAL  AND  OTHER  BUSINESS
 ASSISTANCE TO CERTIFIED MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESSES OR APPLICANTS;
   (B) CONDUCT OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR MWBES ON A BI-ANNUAL BASIS;
   (C) CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS  FOR  STATE  AGENCIES  ON  AN  ANNUAL
 BASIS; AND
   (D)  SHALL  BE  RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING THE NUMBER AND CERTIFICATION
 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AND PROCESSED BY ITS REGION.
   3. THE REGIONAL ADVOCATE SHALL DOCUMENT REASONS  FOR  ANY  DENIALS  OR
 DELAYS  IN THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS. REGIONAL ADVOCATES SHALL REPORT TO
 THE STATEWIDE ADVOCATE AND DIRECTOR BY SEPTEMBER THIRTIETH ON AN  ANNUAL
 BASIS  OF  RECOMMENDATIONS  TO THE STATE CERTIFICATION PROCESS, OUTREACH
 EFFORTS AND COMPLAINTS RECEIVED OR RESOLVED.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that  the  amendments  to
 article  15-A of the executive law made by this act shall not affect the
 expiration of such article and shall expire therewith.